BTS: A Court of Embers

28: Death of the Phoenix

"Jimin," Seokjin said breathlessly. "What is the meaning of this?"

Namjoon shook his head somberly as Jimin laughed again, genuinely amused by the betrayal in Jin's eyes. He laughed so hard that his shoulders shook. "Come now, you did not believe I would be your savior?"

Tears formed in Jin's eyes. "Jimin."

"You bumbling fool. By Drake, had I known it would be this easy, I would have done it years ago. But perhaps this way is better for all of us! I have a chance to watch your final moments, Namjoon will have to find another corner of the Neverin to scurry to until I hunt him down, and you? You are broken."

A fist squeezed Maren's heart. Who was this? It could not be Jimin. Not her Jimin, the fae that kissed her sweetly and promised her the stars in the sky. But seeing him now, he was celestial in the way that inspired fear. As opulent and inevitable as a black hole. She shook her head, unwilling to believe it.

"Why?" Jin croaked.

Jimin yelled over the wind. "The Court of Dusk has been ascended for a millennia and none of my brethren have been smart enough to take what is theirs. With the Court of Dawn abandoned, I have free reign. No one to pester me with righteous proclamations of morality and what the seven children wanted. They're all dead!"

"You can't take over the realm," Namjoon said.

Jimin smirked at him. "No, not yet. I'd have to kill every living Seelie, wouldn't I?" Jimin winked as Namjoon blanched. "If you survive this, make sure you run well and fast."

Maren wrenched out of Emberlynn's grip. "What are you doing? What is this?"

Jimin licked his lips as he beheld her.

She stomped her foot, her own screaming grating her throat in the wind. But she didn't care. "You were supposed to find a solution!"

Jimin was calm. "I did. Eliminating him."

"Then you're a liar," she shouted.

"No," Jimin responded, shaking his head with pursed lips, "The Fae cannot lie, Maren."

"You agreed to help me fix this!"

He shook his head. "The only thing I explicitly agreed to was helping you kill him."

Maren looked at Jin, the truth so ugly and unbearable that she felt naked before him. The Dauphin of flame shook his head at her, his expression hardening, that soft tenderness in his eyes boiling into adamant rage. Even Emberlynn stepped back in awe.

"No," Maren said, her voice cracking. "Jin, please. Listen to me, please. I--"

Jimin stepped forward. "She was going to stab you in the heart, Seokjin. She even had the glass blade that put you in this predicament. You should have listened to Namjoon."

Maren broke, her voice failing her. "Jin."

A tear fell from Jin's eyes. Namjoon glowered, stepping in front of the Dauphin as though he could absorb the damage that only blossomed and killed from within.

Distraught, Maren whirled on Jimin once more. "I told you that I couldn't!"

Jimin raised his voice at her this time. "Then you have my gratitude because the victory will fall upon my Court!" He smiled a ruthless, devilish smile. "You yet again prove Fae superiority. Do you see how easy it was for you to ruin your own life? Humans are bound to knock skulls and be slaves of impulse if you know how to pull their heartstrings. But though you have failed at your bargain, I admire your dedication to destruction. Allow me to save you."